Day: October 27, 2014

As Netflix continues to add new stand-up comedy specials to its arsenal, Amazon had to counter. Today, Amazon announced it was buying Rooftop Comedy. Reuters broke the news, with a statement from Audible CEO Donald Katz that the company had been attracted by Rooftop’s content library and talent pool. Amazon bought Audible back in 2008, and plans to put Rooftop’s 10-employee company based in San Francisco under it with all of the audio from stand-up albums available on Audible. Rooftop Comedy records, produces and distributes live comedy performances from comedy clubs around the world, cutting them up into bite-sized clips....

NBC has been searching for a new variety series franchise for the past couple of years. Neil Patrick Harris has been looking to front a variety series, and even talked to CBS about such a gig back in May. NBC, meet NPH! The Peacock Network confirmed today, as first reported by friend of the site Josef Adalian over at Vulture, that it’s going to make a regular (maybe weekly?) variety series starring Harris. Harris, who’s hosted the Tony Awards and Emmy Awards for CBS and will host the Academy Awards in 2015 for ABC, will take the reins of...

More remarkable than anyone who spoke at last week’s dedication of George Carlin Way were the throngs of comedians in the background, humbly present to pay their respects once more to the legendary comedian who grew up on West 121st Street in New York City’s Morningside Heights, where a street sign now marks his turf posthumously and permanently. Robert Klein stood beaming in the background. Orson Bean, Carlin’s former neighbor, was there. So, too, were Gilbert Gottfried, Dave Attell, Judah Friedlander, Jim Norton, Eddie Brill, Rick Overton, Dan Pasternack, John Fugelsang, Lizz Winstead and more — Ted Alexandro, Katie...

The annual New York Television Festival (NYTVF) announced the winners Saturday night in 12 categories of its Independent Pilot Competition as well as 20 development deal winners from various cable channels, studios and digital network partners. “We had a fantastic week with more events, projects, deals, and overall artist and industry participation than ever before. It was a terrific way to celebrate our tenth Festival,” said NYTVF Founder and Executive Director Terence Gray. “In the last decade the Festival has grown from a screening and panel series to an international talent and content marketplace that has solidified its place...

Mike Flinn (@realmikeflinn) isn’t just a podcast producer and engineer; he’s also an avid fan of the form. “My Pod Week” recaps and reviews the many varied comedy podcasts Flinn listened to or attended live tapings of during the previous week. Enjoy! YOU’RE THE EXPERT (Live at the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival) Host Chris Duffy guides a panel of comedians through his guest’s field of study through a series of questions, games & quizzes. He begins the episode 20 questions style, and guest expert Dr. Katie Hind can only respond with yes’s or no’s. Panelists earn one point per...